Wrexham FC players who went on to bigger and better things: Part two

The famous banner Liverpool FC fans unveiled in tribute to Joey Jones against Borussia Mönchengladbach

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In the second of our four part series, Post sport writer Rob Griffiths looks at the careers of a group of former Wrexham players who were to depart the Dragons and go on to bigger and brighter things.

Joey Jones

Having started and ended his career at Wrexham, Joey Jones was to have three stints at the Racecourse, and enjoy a glittering career in the game.

Jones made his debut at the age of 17 in a Welsh Cup against cross-border rivals Chester City in 1971 for Wrexham and thus began a love affair with the club that still continues to this day.

The full-back made 98 appearances for the Dragons in three seasons, won the Welsh Cup in 1975 – his final term – and also helped the club to the quarter-finals of the FA Cup in 1974.

Bob Paisley paid £110,000 to secure his services at Liverpool and Jones was to etch himself in Anfield legend. Despite only having three seasons in Merseyside, Jones won the Division One title with the club in his first season, but did not qualify for a winners medal after not playing enough games.

Jones became the first Welshman to receive a European Cup winner medal when Liverpool won the trophy for the first time in Rome in 1976-77, beating Borussia Monchengladbach 3–1. Fans at Anfield had a real soft spot for Jones and in the final unfurled a banner reading “Joey ate the frogs legs, made the Swiss roll, now he’s Munching Gladbach”.

He also won the European Cup with Liverpool the following season, however, he found himself in and out of the side that term following the renaissance of Tommy Smith and emergence of Alan Hansen, and Jones returned to Wrexham for a then club-record £210,000.

Four seasons followed back in North Wales where he went on to made a further 146 appearances and score six goals for the Dragons, before former Racecourse chief John Neal paid £34,000 to bring the defender to Chelsea.

Jones was sent off on his Chelsea debut against Carlisle United at Brunton Park, but he was to prove instrumental as the club avoided dropping down to the Third Division and laterly romped to the Second Division title in the 1983-84 season.

The defender left London to sign at Huddersfield Town in 1985 and after three seasons made a second return to Wrexham in 1987 where he played for five years before retiring in 1992. Jones also won 72 caps for Wales and scored once for his country.

The stalwart, known affectionately around the training ground as ‘ledge’ (short for legend) is among the coaches at the club and works closely with the youth set up.

A total of 358 appearances for Wrexham during a nine year spell resulted in 88 goals, and earned the forward a move up the football ladder to Division One side Queens Park Rangers.

While he may have struggled to make the same kind of impact at Loftus Road, Connolly was thought of highly by Rs fans and made 72 appearances for the Rs in three years before eventually joining Swansea City.

He later had spells at Prescot Cables, NEWI Cefn Druids and Warrington Town, before retiring at the age of 41 in 2011.

Carlos Edwards

Edwards played five years at Wrexham, making 165 appearances and scoring 23 goals, during a career that was to see him play a key role in the Dragons lifting their first ever piece of national silverware, the LDV Vans Trophy in 2005.

The winger left Wrexham to join Luton Town, before impressing enough at Kenilworth Road to earn a move to the Premier League with Sunderland. He spent two seasons in the north east before joining Ipswich Town where he made 166 appearances in five years, and eventually joining Millwall, where he was released in the summer.

Edwards featured for Trinidad and Tobago in the 2006 World Cup in Germany, playing all three of their group games.

Lee Trundle

Lee Trundle celebrates with Andy Morrell.

Having been picked up from Welsh Premier League side Rhyl by then manager Brian Flynn, Lee Trundle went on to have a turbulent career.

After joining Wrexham for £60,000 Trundle made 94 appearances for the Dragons in two and a half seasons, and played a key role along side Andy Morrell up front as the North Wales side under Denis Smith earned promotion to the Second Division in 2002-03.

Trundle departed Wrexham at the end of the term to join Swansea City and link back up with Flynn, and it was in South Wales where the Liverpool-born player really shone.

He won promotion with the Swans to the Second Division in 2005 and also the Football League Trophy, as well as the FAW Premier Cup in successive seasons, going on to make 146 appearances and score 78 goals.

His form in South Wales saw him earn a move to Bristol City for a reported £1m, and he came close to helping the Robins earn promotion to the Premier League, but the club missed out in the play-off final, going down 1-0 to Hull City.

Trundle later enjoyed loan spells at Leeds United and Swansea, before joining Neath of the Welsh Premier League in 2010. He later enjoyed time at Preston North End and Chester, before ending his career at Marine.